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Elizabeth Cutright Water Efficiency Editor

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WE Editor's Blog

September 15th, 2008 6:52am PST

Another Perspective

Posted By Elizabeth Cutright 1 Comment

In our latest issue, we focus on Bullhead City, AZ’s decision to switch from decentralized wastewater treatment to a centralized system that incorporates water reuse. (Taking the Bull by the Horns ) As the article points out, among the many benefits resulting form this infrastructure overhaul is the added protection to the increasingly threatened Colorado River basin. 

Sometimes ditching septic tanks and consolidating your water treatment and delivery system makes sense, but in some communities the status quo can be tweaked or improved upon rather than abandoned completely.  In many parts of the country, communities are choosing to move from centralized treatment systems to onsite water treatment systems.  Their decisions are often based on the realization that small, cluster systems can be economically and environmentally sound.  From large municipalities and to small rural developments, the future of water treatment lies in decentralization – and the added advantage of water reuse makes decentralized water treatment an attractive option for communities committed to water conservation.

Such is the case in Rincon Point, California, a world famous surf spot that curves along the Pacific Ocean through two counties and three communities.  In July of 2007, the Ventura County Board of Supervisors opened the door for a centralized sewer system by unanimously passing a resolution designed to allow Rincon Point Homeowners to self impose a septic-to-sewer tax.  Those in favor of the resolution believe replacing the existing septic set up will solve the community’s pollution issues.  

But is this really their best option?

Why not replace the existing septic systems with modern onsite water treatment alternatives rather than installing a costly (and potentially habitat destroying) centralized sewer system?  When properly installed and maintained, onsite water treatment systems can not only meet federal and state effluent standards, but be engineered (via advanced treatments such as nutrient removal and disinfection) to actually benefit the environment in which they are placed.

The truth is sometimes septic systems fail; but so do centralized sewer systems, and often on a much grander scale.  Think of the thousands of miles of depression era pipes currently sitting quietly beneath city streets: ticking time bombs waiting to wreak havoc.  Imagine the potential pollution catastrophe when one of those 75-year-old sewer mains ruptures, spilling out all manner of muck and mayhem. 

By comparing a sewer-main break with the failure of a handful of residential septic systems it’s easy to see the gamble being waged by the residents of Rincon Point  - after all, isn’t it likely that switching from septic to sewer may merely delay coastal pollution while setting up Rincon for a much bigger problem 50 years from now?

 

 

What Do You Think?

Post a Comment

Michael Sevener

September 17th, 2008 10:28 AM PT

This is a good start on a "soft path" approach but does not go nearly far enough. We should be looking at integrated management including rainwater harvesting and onsite composting toilets for less densely populated areas. Our "modern" centralized systems are quite young. We only have about 150 years worth of operating experience. We do not know with any certainty how much older and long lived central sewer systems (such as those built by the Romans) behave over the course of centuries, nor the cost to maintain them. We obviously need centralized collection and treatment in densely populated cities but we do not need such systems in suburbia. As a matter of fact, the standard roman villa incorporated the concept of "impluvium" for collecting rainwater for its own use. Expensive aqueducts and piped systems were reserved for the cities.

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